Packing case



May 6, 1930. F. c. HoLBRobK l I 1,757,087

p Patented May 6, 1930 UNITED sT 1'"-Es rnnnnmcx clamor HomaitooK, or DUMMEBSTON, vERMo vr I BACKING cnsi Application filed December 18, 1926. Serial No. 155,637.

This invention relates to packing cases of the general type adapted for the shipment of articles which are easily damaged by rough handling. The invention will be herein dis- 5 closed as embodied in a packing case designed especially for the shipment of apples and other fruits, although it will be understood that essentially the same construction is uses ful in the shipment of other" arti'cles., f

It is the chief object'of the invention to devise a packing case which will effectually protect the articles packed therein from damage during shipment, to facilitate the packing of the articles, and to provide a construc- 7 tion which can be manufactured at 'a reasonable expense. I

The nature of the invention will be readily 1 understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. lnthe drawings, 1

Figure 1 is a perspective viewof 'a packing case constructedfin accordancewith this invention, the cover of the case being removed; 1 I

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the case shown in Fig. 1; and i Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the packing casewhen ready for shipment.

The packing case shown comprises a container which may consist'simply of a wooden or fibreboard box of an ordinary commercial form. A wooden box .ofa common construction is illustrated in thedrawings, this box having ends 2 and 3, sides 4 and 5, a bottom 6, and a top-7 Located inside thebox and against the four vertical walls thereof, are

40 spacing members 8, 9, 10 andll, respectively.

These members preferably aremade of corrugated paper board,esuch as that used in the manufacture of large cartons, although any equivalent material may be substituted for it.

' Referring to the spacing member 8,. as

shown in Fig. 1, it will-be observed that it consists of a sheet of corrugatedpaper board the opposite ends of which arebent or folded along lines of scoring at right angles to the main body of the sheet to form flanges which separated from the walls of the bo x by an bear against the'wall 40f the box. At about the middle of said member 8 the sheet of fibre I board is folded to form another spacing flange 14 which is of approximately equilateral triangularform in horizontal cross-section, the base of the triangle being spaced from the main part of the sheet, and connected to it by the diagonal members of the triangle. These flanges space the mainf body. of the sheet from the wall 4. For a packing case'of the size-ordinarily required'for shipping'apr ples', these spacing members are of such dimensions that only three flanges are required in each member. It is obvious, however, that i for large sheets more'ofthese spacing flanges would be necessary. I I

Thes'pacing member 9 is like the member 8,-and the spacing members l0andl1 arelike eachother and are substantiallylike the element18, except that in the particular construction-shown they are not quite aslong. 'All of these spacingmembers are placed vertically in thebox with the end flangesof one member abutting against themargin of the member which bears against the adjoining wall so that they strengthen each otherat the'cori ners." Another spacing member'15, Fig. 2,

like themember 8 is used in thebottom of the box, while still another of these members 16 is placed in the topunder the 'cover 7,

This construction thus provides an inner chamber, the walls ofwhich-are formedby the spacing. members, this chamber. being airspace of considerable width.

The chamber so provided is divided into compartments suited to the. requireme'nts'gfi.v the particular articles to be packed. I In. abox designed for shipping apples, or the like, I prefer to use for this purpose a series'of trays 17, preferably made of corrugated paper board, each'tray consistingof a bottom with four sides which may or may not be secured together, the sides being integral with the bottom but separated therefrom by lines of scoring which facilitate the folding of the sides into the proper position-. The space in each trayis further divided by partitions 1 8 of corrugated paper board interlocked .with each other and cooperating with the walls This construction effectually {PIQtQClSS '-:the

apples or other articles packed from injury during shipment, the space between thjeiinner chamber and the Walls of the box, including the top and bottom, beingjpartieularly vall uable for this purpose. At vthesame time the packing case is relatively light in weight due to the nature of thefmaterial used, and the case can be manuffacturedat-a very reasonable expense. l a w The use of the trays and the partitions 18 is of value not only in protecting the apples, but also in facilitating packing,ysinc e the individual trays can be packed prior to fpla cing them in the boxes. This savesjlabonrand' it also permits the packing of the trays at 7 any convenient time and the subsequent stacking and storing of them, if desired, preparatory to packing-the trays in the boxes in accordance with the orders received.

The central triangular flange 14, of-each spacer is of slightly greater widthjthan the end-flanges 12 -12. This, together with the fact that the packed trays are bulged or slightly larger in horizontal dimensions than the corresponding dimensions of 'theinnerrchamher in the box, results in bulgingthe sides-4 and 5 somewhat when the box has been packed, and also bulging thebo'ttom'fi and top 7. The sides, bottom and top, therefore, are 'tensioned and Zthis tension is useful in holding the entire contents of the box under compression.The flanges have ample strength to withstand the str ain so imposed uponth'em.

'An unusuallysolid construction thus is provided which, due to the spacing and the-natnre of'the interior construction, effectually preventsbruising of the apples or otherwise damaging "the 7 articles packed. This tensioning of the sides, top and bottom of the'box .also .is useful intaking any shrinkage .Which may occur, When the packing of a case has been completed the cover 7 .is nailed on and, preferably, two steel bands 20, Fig. 3, then are placed around the entireboxand their ends are overlapped 'andwelded or fastened together by thefas'teners used in box strapping machines. a In "the "drawings apple's off. one size only are shown- Wheniit' is desired to pack a smaller size of apples in thefbox s'hovvnfspacmembers :are provided which have. wider flanges than those illustrated so. that "the dimensions'foffthe inner chamber are-reduced.

' The tr y sane partitions are,=of course, cor

.to the size ofthe apples packed in its particular section. I

7 While I have herein shown and described the .preferred'embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the invention may beembodied in-otherwforms without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

Having'thus described myinvention, what I desireyto claim asnewfisf '1."A packing case of the character described, comprising a box, and a plurality of corrugated paper board spacing members inside said box, located closely adjacent to 'andparallel with the walls thereof, said members havingflanges at the ends-thereof and also between said ends serving to s pace the main body :of each member from the walls of said box, whereby said members form an inner chamber in the box forlthe reception of the materialto be shipped said intermediateflanges consisting ofa portion of the member folded into approximately triangular. cross-sectional form with thebaseofthe triangular flange bearingagainst the wall of the box andconnected to said member by the diagonal members of'the triangle.

packing case 'of't-he character described, comprising a box, and :a plurality of paper board spacing members inside said box, located closely adjacent'torand parallel with .the walls thereof,isaid members having 'flangesbothat theends and alsoat the'centrap-part thereof, said central flanges being widenth'anthe end flanges, whereby the main body of each'lnember is spaced from the adjacent wallofthe box, and the centralpart o'feach member is spacedfif'artherfrom said wall than the end p'ortions'thereof.

3L A packing case "of the character describe'clfcomprising a born-and a plurality of corrugated paper board spacing members inside .sai'd box, lo cated closely adjacent to and, parallel with the fwalls thereof, said members'having fianges at theends thereof, and

also ,between said ends servingto space the main body of each member from the .walls of said box, said members forming an inner chamber in thejbox with all ofits walls spaced fromithe walls oi the box, said intermediate flanges'consisti'ngof'aportion of the member folded into approximately triangular crosssectional 'form withthe. base of the triangular flang bearing against the wall of the box andconnected to "saidmem'berby the diagonal membersfof the triangle.

p king case ;of.the character de} scribed, comprising, a box and paper board spacing members inside said box, located closely adjacent to and parallel with the walls thereof, said members having flanges at the ends thereof and also between said ends serving to space the main body of each member s from the walls of the said box, the intermediate flanges being wider than the end flanges thereby to bulge the walls of the box and place the contents of the box under compression.

FREDERICK GABOT HOLBROOK. 

